Unit heater



Oct. 24, 1933. P. w. BlELFr-:LDT 931748 UNIT HEATER Filed Feb. 6, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet l zo L. L

Octa 24, 1933. P. w. BIELFELDT UNIT HEATER Filed Feb. 6, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 24, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEClaims.

The invention relates to unit heaters.

One object of the invention is to provide a unit steam heater comprisinga circulating fan in Which the fan is driven by a steam turbine or 5steam propelled means to utilize the energy in the steam before it isdelivered to and condensed in the radiator or heater coil.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved unit steamheater equipped with a circulating fan and in which an electric motorfor driving the fan and the necessity of providing electrical energy isdispensed with.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means forsupplying moisture to the unit heater.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detaileddescription.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a unit heater embodyingthe invention,l parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a sectionon line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

The invention is exemplified in a unit heater comprising a frame 6 ofany suitable construction, and which is adapted to be supported by 30hangers or brackets in any place where it is desired to use the heater.The frame shown comprises a bottom member 7, a top member 8 and verticalor side members 9. A radiator 10 is mounted in the frame 6 and comprisesa coil 10a with ns 10b. An inlet pipe 11 is connected to deliver steaminto the upper terminal of the coil 10 at one side of the frame 6. Theframe serves as a shell which directs air around and between the coil10B.

A cross-bar 12 is xedly secured to the side members 9 of frame 6 andsupports a bracket 14 which serves as a support for a fan forcirculating air around the radiator, and steam-driven propelling meansfor the fan. A combined propeller and fan shaft 15 is journalled inanti-friction bearings 14 carried in the bracket 14. A fan-wheel 16 issecured to the end of the shaft 15 which is adjacent the radiator coil10a. The fan is disposed within or close to the frame 6 so it will blowair against and around the radiator so the air will be heated andpropelled to the desired points. The propelling means for shaft 15comprises a turbine casing 17 which is xedly secured to one end ofthe-bracket 14 and a turbine or propeller wheel 18 which is connected tothe air stream to humidify the air delivered from the' shaft 15 so thelatter will be rotated thereby. A steam supply pipe 19, which isprovided with a suitable valve 20, delivers steam into the casing at 21so it will be impacted against the vanes on the propeller wheel anddrive the wheel so long Y as steam is supplied to the casing 17 throughthe pipe 19. The exhaust steam from the casing 17 will pass out througha pipe 21 which is connected to the pipe 11 so that the radiator will beheated by the exhaust steam from the turbine. A pipe 22 conducts anycondensate in the casing 17 to a suitable trap 23.l When the valve 20 isopen, the pipe 19 'r/ill deliver steam under pressure into the casing soit will be impacted against the vanes of the wheel 18 and cause the 70wheel 18 to be driven, and the exhaust steam from the casing will bedelivered to the radiator for heating purposes.. Preferably, thevturbine will be of the type which will cause minimum condensation inthe turbine itself.

The operation of the fan and the heater is controlled. by the valve 20.If desired, this valve may be thermostatically controlled as wellunderstood in heating systems.

The invention is designed to operate under either high or low steampressures, and in order to prevent excessive speed of the fan when thesteam pressure is high, a governor is provided to regulate the speed ofthe turbine Wheel. For this purpose, the hub 18a of the Wheel 18 isslidably 85 mounted on the shaft 15 and is normally pressed by a spring24 against a collar 25a fixed to the shaft. In its normal position, thevanes of the wheel 18 will be positioned fully in the path of the steamentering the casing through the inlet 21 so the steam will have themaximum driving effect on the wheel. A pair of governor arms 25, 26 arepivoted at 27 in'the collar 25 which rotates with the wheel 18 and shaft15. When the speed of the Wheel 18 becomes greater than de- 95 sired,the Weights on the arms 26 under the influence of centrifugal force willswing outwardly and rock arms 26 at pivots 27 to cause cams 28 on thearms to engage the hub 18a ,and move it and the Wheel 18 axially out offull alignment 100 with the opening 21 to lessen the driving effect ofthe steam against the vanes on the wheel 18, and thus reduce the speedof the Wheel 18 and the fan. The vwasher 30, which engages the outer endof spring 24, may be adjusted by a screw 29 to correspondingly vary theforce of spring 24 and correspondingly vary the action of the governorto control the maximum speed of the wheel 18 and the fan driven thereby.As the turbine Wheel18is shifted from its normal posi- 110 tion more orless to one side oi the opening 2l, some of the steam is discharged intothe casing without impacting against the turbine wheel so it will beby-passed into the pipe 2la from which it will be delivered to theradiator. This eirernoliai :des a construction in which the speed of thefan, which is driven by the steam before it is delivered to theradiator, is automatically controlled to regulate the speed of the fanby by-passing more or less of the steam entering the casing 17.

The invention contemplates discharging the condensate from the radiatorcoil so a portion thereof can be utilized in humidifying the air heatedby the heater. For this purpose, the discharge end of the coil pipe lo'1is connected to a chamber 32a formed in a head 32.

The head 32 is provided with walls which form a well 35, a Weir 34 andan overiiow chamber 36. The condensate and uncondensed steam leaving theradiator coil enters the chamber 32a, and the condensate lls the well 35until it overows the weir 34 and passes into a discharge chamber 36.Pipes 37 are connected to the inner wall oi chamber 36, and conduct thecondensate to a chamber 33 formed between the end wall 39 and acrosse-wall 40 of the head 32. From chamber 33 the condensate isdischarged to a condensate trap (not shown) from which it flows back tothe boiler. A vent pipe 33 is connected to chamber 38 and leads to anair trap (also not shown). The head 32 has a bottom wall 42, side walls4l and 43, and end wall 43e and a top wall 43b which form a reservoir orreceptacle, -50 adapted to receive and retain condensate from the well35. This receptacle extends transversely between the chambers 36 and 33and around pipes 37. The receptacle or reservoir 5U, outwardly of thewell 35, has a portion 50B between the inner wall of chamber 36 and thewall 40 o1 chamber 33.

An opening 50b is formed in the top of the refceptacle 50 between theinner wall of chamber 36 and wall 40 for the escape of vapor from thereceptacle into the air stream produced by the fan. rl'he portion of thereservoir between the inner wall of chamber 36 and wall 40 is incommunication with the chamber 33 by way of a duct 50 under the chamber36 and a vertical duct 50d at one side oi? said chamber. Valve 4d seatsto control a port 45 inthe bottom wall of the well 35. A noat 4S in thereceptacle 50 is pivotally supported at 47 and is pivoted at 48 to astem 49 which is adjustably connected to the valve 44 by a screw thread.When the level of the water in the receptacle reaches a predeterminedheight, the oat 46 will close valve 44 to cut ofi the delivery ofcondensate into the holder and cause it to overiiow into the chamber 36from which it will flow back to the condensate trap and boiler. Byadjusting the valve 44 on the stem 49, the height of the water columnmaintained in the receptacle may be varied as desired to regulate thevolume of condensate delivered to the air stream for humidiflcation. Bylowering the level of the condensate, the moisture carried into the airstream will be reduced and by raising the column, the moisture deliveredto the air stream will be increased. A removable plate 52 is secured tocover an. opening in the bottom of the head 32 which provides access tothe float and valve chamber.

The temperature of the condensate passing through the port 45 willusually be higher than the boiling point of water at atmosphericpresinerme rll'his will produce water vapor in the oat chamber whichwill pass through opening 50d into the central portion of the receptaclewhere it will escape through outlet 50".

This exemplifies means for delivering a portion oi the condensate fromthe radiator into a receptacle from which vapor and moisture will bedrawn into the air stream produced by the ian which is driven by steamdelivered'to the radiator.

The invention exemplies a unit heater with a power driven fan which canbe economically operated and in which the use of electrical connectionsand a motor is dispensed with; also a heater of this type in which thespeed oi the tan is automatically regulated; also a heater of this typein which provision is made for humidifying the air by moisture derivedfrom the condensate after the steam has been utilized to drive the fanand to heat the radiator coil.

rlhe invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details setforth, since these may be modified Within the scope of the appendedclaims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

l. ln a unit heater, the combination of a steam radiator, a fan forcirculating air around the radiator, steam propelled means for drivingthe fan, the fan driving means and radiator being secured together toconstitute a heating unit, a supply pipe for delivering steam to thedriving means to drive the fan, means for delivering exhaust steam fromthe driving means to the radiator, and means for delivering some of thecondensate from the radiator into the air path produced by the fan.

2. ln a unit heater, the combination of a steam radiator, a fan forcirculating air around the radiator, steam propelled means for drivingthe fan, the fan, propelling means and radiator being mounted togetherto constitute a heating unit, a supply pipe for delivering steam to thepropelling means and to the radiator, a receiver for condensate from theradiator having an opening for discharging vapor into the air pathproduced by the fan, and automatically controlled means for controllingthe flow of the condensate into the receiver.

3. In a unit heater, the combination of a steam radiator, a fan forcirculating air around the radiator, steam-propelled means for drivingthe fan, the fan, propelling-means andy radiator being mounted togetherto constitute a heating unit, a supply pipe for delivering steam to thepropelling means and to the radiator, the radiator comprising adischarge head, a receptacle adapted to receive condensate from thedischarge head, a float-controlled valve for controlling the. flow ofcondensate from the head into the receptacle.

4. In a unit heater, the combination of a steam radiator, a fan forcirculating air around the' radiator, steam propelled means for drivingthe fan, the fan, propelling-means and radiator being mounted togetherto constitute a heating unit, a supply pipe for delivering steam to thepropelling means and to the radiator, the radiator comprising adischarge head, a receptacle adapted to receive condensate from thedischarge head, a oat-controlled valve for controlling the flow ofcondensate from the head into the receptacle,

sure and a denite amount will hash into steam. the receptacle having anelongated opening to Leanne discharge m01 the fan.

5. In a unit heater, the combination ota'steamradiator comprising acoil. a liaxr'for circulating 5 air around the radiator, steam propelledmeans for driving the fan, the Ian, propelling means and radiator beingmounted together to--constitute-a heating unit, a supply pipe -fordelivering steam into the path of air moved by to thepropelling'meansand to the radiatonthe. y

radiator comprising 'a discharge head toivvhich BGP moved by the fan.

PAUL W. BIEIFELDT.

